Yes indeed.


On the 28th Sept the big news was 400,000 marching against the war.

The papers more or less ignored it. Major and Currie was their 'big news'.


On 31st Oct groups all over the country held a 'day of disobedience'. I myself witnessed several violent arrests in London.

The papers more or less ignored it. Angus Deayton was their 'big news'.

so much for the spin masterplan from No 10 ! who the hell wrote that speech for this stupid woman ? balls indeed !
i used to teach english in a sporting school on the continent. one of the first things i told beginners was the ambiguity of the word 'balls', a word unavoidable in the sports world, after all. of course, they were aware of the purile connotations, so how come cherie didnt ?
being more serious now,
i disagree with your prognosis; i dont think this business has been a deliberate distraction; on the contrary, i think it may be a manouerve by the GB establishment and USA capitalism to weaken blairs hitherto unassialable position, because once a war DOES commence, there will need to be a shift of power and blair will be out, perhaps joining jeforey archer in 5 years time...
(as for an example of power shifts, take 1939-40. eveyone forgets that it was after all CHAMBERLAIN who finally stood up and declared war on hitler. chruchill then stepped in to get the credit.)

i heard a rumour that the guardian was holding onto this story for a long time, before the daily mail got wind of it. as for the labour people moaning about the horrid tabloid press surely they havent forgotten it was the sun wot won it for them ! remember straw on the sun fun-bus during the election ?